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GUPTA PERIOD
125
c.500-10
c. 500-10
c. 500-10
Caturbhāni' is the collection of four Bhānas, meaning one-act farces composed during this period. Dr. Dasarath Sharma gives C. 500-510 as the date of Syāmilaka's Pādatāạitaka ( Proceedings IHC Calcutta, 1955, p. 73:) and corrects the hypothetical date C. 410 A.D. (JRAS. 1946, pp. 46-53).
While describing the capital, called, 'Sārvabhaumanagara', Syamilaka the author of Calurbhāni, speaks of kings of Kaccha and Maru along with others as having assembled there.- op. cit., p. 8).
Among the vițas enumerated, one called Kumāra Makhavarmā from Anandapura and one Jayānandaka from Surāṣtra are mentioned.-(op. cit., p. 7).
Syāmilaka denounces, in his Bhāņa called Padatāļitaka', the customs and manners of the Lāța people in general as follows :
"He bathes naked in water, despite the presence of great persons; washes clothes himself; disturbs his hair ; ascends the bed without washing his feet; eats whatsoever even while going along a path; puts on torn clothes and brags even after striking all-of-a-sudden (someone ) in his difficulties":-( Stanza 39, P. 167).
Lāța people are, also, described as speaking Jakāra ( syllable. J') in their speech.- Stanza 51, p. 20 ).
In the next stanza the peculiar manner of dressing and speaking of the Lātas is described :
"Covering both the hands by the upper garment, tying the waist by a clothstring, receiving people by uttering the Sakāra (syllable S), ( the Lāța ) walks with his shoulders drooped down owing to the fall of his feet."-( St. 52).
"Moreover, keeping his hands on his chest as a dove (i.e. kapotahasta which is a peculiar position of hands), he speaks loudly 'Ja''Ja' devoid of Ya' (i.e. speaks 'Ja' instead of 'Ya'); he, with his waist tied properly, walks as if he is touching the mud by the tips of his hands. "--( St. 53, p. 20-21).
The heroism of a Lāța prince Bhadrāyudha, 'the walking Tirtha of the Vitas, and the Lord of Udicya, Balhika, Kārūşa and Mālava countries,' is described in the Bhāņa thus :
"He, who has put both his feet on the heads of the kings of Aparānta, Saka, and Malava countries, went at proper time to the mother Ganges like the mother, and captured (?) the prosperity of the family of the Magadha king. Moreover his adventures are sung by the love-sick Aparānta damsels whose locks of hair are distributed by the gentle breezes on the coasts of the great ocean, where there are rows of the Hintāla trees (the marshy date-trees), after supporting themselves by the creepers of the trees. "-(Sts. 54-56, p. 21).
c 500-10
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